Luke 20:1-18

English Standard Version

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

20 ^(A)One day, ^(B)as Jesus^[a] was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, ^(C)the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up ²and said to him, “Tell us ^(D)by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” ³He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, ⁴was the baptism of John ^(E)from heaven or from man?” ⁵And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ^(F)‘Why did you not believe him?’ ⁶But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was ^(G)a prophet.” ⁷So they answered that they did not know where it came from. ⁸And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

⁹^(H)And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted ^(I)a vineyard and ^(J)let it out to tenants and ^(K)went into another country for a long while. ¹⁰When the time came, he sent a servant^[b] to the tenants, so that ^(L)they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. ^(M)But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹^(N)And ^(O)he sent another servant. But they also beat and ^(P)treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ¹²^(Q)And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. ¹³Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my ^(R)beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ^(S)‘This is the heir. ^(T)Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵And they ^(U)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶^(V)He will ^(W)come and destroy those tenants and ^(X)give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” ¹⁷But he ^(Y)looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: